This invention relates to a lens hood mounted to a camera.
A lens hood is mounted to a camera, in order to shield a camera lens from light outside the subject area. The lens hood is mounted to the tip of the lens barrel by means of a bayonet mechanism or the like.
Further, in order to enhance the quality of photograph, a rotary filter (such as a polarization filter, a cross filter or the like) is mounted in front of the lens in the lens barrel. For example, the polarization filter is used to restrict the direction of vibration of the light entering the lens. The polarization filter is rotated about an optical axis of the lens, in order to change the direction of the vibration of the light to be allowed to pass.
The cross filter is used to add a special effect such as starburst (that is, radiating four spokes of light) on the image, and is made of a transparent plate having a grid of finely etched lines. The cross filter is rotated about an optical axis of the lens, in order to change the orientation of the starburst.
In case where the lens hood and the rotary filter are mounted to a SLR (single lens reflex) camera, a photographer adjusts the rotational position of the rotary filter, observing an subject through the rotary filter. Accordingly, the conventional lens hood is large (with respect to the lens barrel) enough to allow the photographer to insert his hand therein to rotate the rotatable filter.
However, when the photographer rotates the rotary filter viewing the subject, the view of the photographer may be interfered with the his hand inserted in the lens hood. Further, since the diameter of the conventional lens hood is large enough to allow the hand of the photographer to insert therein, the lens hood is not suitable for carrying.
In order to solve these problems, another type of lens hood is proposed. The lens hood of this type has an accessing opening formed on the circumference thereof. With such an arrangement, the photographer is able to insert his finger in the lens hood to operate the rotary filter. However, since the accessing opening allows the light to enter into the lens hood, the lens hood is not able to shield the lens from the light outside the subject area.